


Warm Regards

by Thalius



Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: And Also Acutal Chess, Bad Flirting, Banter, Chess Metaphors, F/M, Light Angst, Waypoint Conversations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-07 05:53:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19203226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thalius/pseuds/Thalius
Summary: Shortly after their encounter on Gao, Fred sends Veta a message on Waypoint offering her some guidance with her new team. This may have been a mistake.





	1. Pages 1-7

**Author's Note:**

> I did this project a while ago and hosted it on [tumblr](https://sledposting.tumblr.com/post/179230447737/warm-regards-masterlist-pages-1-2-pages-3) as a series of mock holopad files. AO3 isn't great for formatting photos, so I'm including the text transcripts below the original images to make it easier to read. You can ctrl+F to IMAGE TRANSCRIPTS if you'd prefer to jump straight to the text!
> 
> Note for mobile users: the images display perfectly on desktops but not well at all on mobile. If you'd prefer to read off the images, you can read through the masterpost [here](https://sledposting.tumblr.com/post/179230447737/warm-regards-masterlist-pages-1-2-pages-3).

**PAGES 1 - 7**

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  **IMAGE TRANSCRIPTS**

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***REMINDER TO ALL UNSC PERSONNEL THAT SENDING CLASSIFIED**

**OR PERSONAL INFORMATION OVER WAYPOINT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.**

**ANY MESSAGES SENT MAY BE SUBJECT TO RANDOM REVIEW***

**JULY 17, 2553**

**F104:**

Inspector,

In the dual event that Baby Dragon has in fact given me your actual comm-ID and

that her reassignment of your team isn’t as literal as official records make it out

to be, I trust you are doing well.

I also sincerely hope that my decision to pass off a chunk of BT’s roster into your

care was a sound one. Whatever reservations you have for myself and my team,

I would ask you to put those aside for their sake. A, M and O are wonderful people,

and you would be hard pressed to find a better team to work with. And they seem

to like you, which is an honour you share with select few.

I have attached links to their workbooks in this message. K, L and I have been

trying to round out their academic portfolio in between deployments. They didn’t

get much from their previous schooling. Tell M to pay special attention to the

story of Eurydice. Mythological or not, it’s an important lesson in forbearance and

trust that he will find of particular value.

As for the true purpose of this message: I can’t promise that I’ll respond

regularly, but do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns about

your team. Tell the three of them the same, and that I will be checking their

progress on the modules I sent you bi-weekly, schedule permitting. That goes for

O tenfold.

Regards,

LT

 

**JULY 19, 2553**

**VL:**

I don’t know what’s more shocking, that She gave you my actual address or that

I’m getting a message from you. I get messages from all kinds of people these

days.

And you can rest easy, Lieutenant. My politics aren’t so radical that they’ll

prevent me from taking care of my team. They’re the only reason I accepted Her

offer in the first place. And despite our brief and rocky history, I don’t hate you

or BT. Quite the opposite, in fact. Just don’t expect me to be waving any UEG flags

around anytime soon.

I’ll pass your message along. Didn’t know you guys were such academics. There’s

some serious stuff in those modules. Does the UNSC teach all of its thugs ancient

Gaian literature?

The new schedule we have is hectic, but I’ll find some time for them to do their

homework. A asked me if our new operations would still involve “a shitload of

spatial stats.” I’ll let him down gently.

And thanks. Your consultation on these three would be helpful. Never done

anything like this before. I dog-sat for Andera once. Not really comparable. AMO

eat way more. And know too much about military SOP.

Anyway. Take care. I’ll do the same.

-V

 

**JULY 26, 2553**

**F104:**

Inspector,

Glad to hear you’re less of a revolutionary outside of crime scenes. I would hate

for our next meeting to be on opposite sides again.

And no, most enlisted personnel are about as academic as a tank. I apologise if I

gave you the impression that my team and I are anything approaching standard

UNSC stock. Lowering your expectations would be my first official piece of advice

to you.

AMO already seem taken with you, so I don’t expect you’ll have much trouble.

Maybe a little with M. Though false criminal accusations generally don’t engender

much mutual trust, I suppose. I’m sure you’ll overcome your initial fumble with

him.

Make sure they share a room, by the way. They aren’t used to sleeping alone, and

I suspect they’ll be too proud to admit that to you. Navy never knows how to

handle our sleeping arrangements for some reason.

Regards,

LT

 

**JULY 27, 2553**

**VL:**

Oh, not to worry, Lieutenant. My expectations couldn’t be lower after meeting you.

Working planetside with BT was quite the eye-opener.

**F104:**

Glad to be of help, ma’am.

**VL:**

Any chance your non-standard education slipped in the rules for chess

somewhere? I’ve always wanted to beat a Spartan at it.

**F104:**

I’m flattered you spend so much time thinking about Spartans. White pawn to E4.

**VL:**

Hard not to at this point. You’re the only people I know. Black pawn to d6.

**AUGUST 7, 2553**

**VL:**

Man that move must have really scared you, huh.

I can’t really tell you a lot about training, but it’s intense. Thought I had a decent

handle on self-defence, but ONI’s turned it into a dedicated art form. Always

figured it was just the Innie sympathies in my dad that exaggerated his stories

about how brutal military training was. How many ways they prepared you to kill

and keep yourself from being killed. Now his stories seem quaint and ignorant.

I don’t know why I’m saying this to you. I’m not looking for an argument. Get

enough of that from the DIs. It’s just… not how I’d planned my life to go. You don’t

even have to respond to this if you don’t want.

Good luck with whatever world-saving mission you’re on. Not that you need it.

 

**AUGUST 10, 2553**

**F104:**

A little bit of fear is always good in chess. Pawn to D4.

Apologies for the delay. BT got roped into security detail of all things. Diplomats

are a whole other creature (of which I know you are well aware). Can’t save the

world every day.

It is intense. But you survived a week with us. You’ll do grand.

Baby Dragon won’t give me your team’s comm-IDs, so tell A that I know he

hasn’t done his biochem module.

Regards,

LT

**AUGUST 11, 2553**

**VL:**

The upside of working for the great oppressor is that I’m now 100% less involved

in joint-force coordination policy and civ-int meetings. And they were monthly,

too! Should’ve signed up with the UNSC ages ago. No more diplomats or morning

conferences. I’m living the dream. Starships have much shittier muffins, though.

Speaking of - I have not stood on actual dirt for a month. I can feel my bones

stretching, and O swears I’ve grown an entire 6cm. I asked the nurse tech about

cardiac muscle atrophy in light gravity. She waved it off, but special injections

can’t beat every force of nature. Though I guess ONI won’t let me drop dead of a

heart attack after spending all this money on training me.

Right?

BTW, M has stopped sidling away from me after every conversation we have. I

think yesterday was the first time I ever saw his back. Baby steps. knight f6.

 

**AUGUST 12, 2253**

**F104:**

Speak for yourself, Inspector. Commissioning was a horrific career move for me.

My OHSS training now covers repetitive injuries like carpal tunnel and desk-

related MSDs. Some days it feels like I wear khakis more often than Mjolnir. K is

sure I’ll meet my end at the hands of a ballpoint pen.

You probably won’t get used to starships. I never have. Dirty boots are always

better, even if the sentiment makes me a turncoat squid. But rest assured that

medical is fantastic at counteracting the physical dangers of long term space

flight. Perhaps less so with the psychological ones. Deep breathing exercises

help.

Knight to C3.

**VL:**

That’s debatable. You don’t look half bad in khakis.

Pawn to g6.

 

**AUGUST 15, 2553**

**VL:**

Have I mentioned how different ONI is from my previous job? Because it is. I

thought it would just be a more clandestine and unethical version of it, and it is.

Sort of. I can’t really explain. Not over waypoint. But it’s different.

I don’t have any friends here. Didn’t really hit me until now.

 

**AUGUST 16, 2553**

**VL:**

Maybe friends is the wrong word. I’d take an ally. An acquaintance, even.

I’m not totally alone. I have AMO. They’re great, but I can’t expect them to be best

buds with me in such a short time. What’s been done to them… they’re right not to

trust easy. It would be an understatement to say I empathise. We’re so much

more alike than I ever could have thought. So many things I got wrong about you

all. I’m sorry.

I can’t say any of this to them. My problems aren’t theirs - they have more than

enough on their plates. You do too, I suppose.

Maybe I shouldn’t be sending you all this. I barely know you. But you’re the closest

thing to a friend I have right now.

 

**AUGUST 18, 2553**

**VL:**

Spook is too nice a word. If demon hadn’t already been taken, I’d use that instead.

Feels like all I do now is look over my shoulder. I haven’t felt this way in a long

time.

 

**AUGUST 19, 2253**

**VL:**

I miss Cirilo. You remember him? He was a great guy. Would’ve snapped me out

of this mope-fest. And you’d be getting far less messages. Depends on if you find

that a pro or a con.

This is stupid. I’m being stupid. I’m not used to being the bottom bitch, that’s all.

Probably.


	2. Pages 8-14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same deal as last chapter, you can crtl+F to IMAGE TRANSCRIPTS to get to the text.

**PAGES 8 - 14**

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**AUGUST 22, 2553**

**VL:**

AMO are away for some training. I am holed up in my room and trying to remain

calm. What’s the point of speaking to a therapist? They’re just another spook

(demon, whatever). A diary would be easy to break into. Hell, they’re probably

reading this message as I type it. It feels like it.

In which case: get spaced, Gowan. Stay the fuck away from me and learn how to

do your own job. You can’t afford my rates even if I were interested in tutoring

you. People like you never last long.

Maybe I should just start cheating like the rest of them. This isn’t university. It’s

not even a job, or it doesn’t feel like it. There are no rules in this sandbox, and

everyone here thinks they’re king. Thought my old job was light on structure. This

is just anarchy.

 

**AUGUST 30, 2553**

**VL:**

I can’t sleep, and you might be dead for all I know. Everything on starships is

cramped and small. It took me almost twenty years to not feel like this, and now

here I am. I boobytrapped my door. The bathroom one, too.

It’s not normal to sleep with a gun under my pillow.

 

**SEPTEMBER 2, 2553**

**VL:**

I don’t want to be a mother. Babies terrify me. Kids even more. My cousin

wouldn’t let me hold her newborn during family get togethers, and I never asked.

They’re fragile and invasive and vulnerable.

Every time they call me mom, I think about my cousin’s kid. Who the hell am I to

be in charge of these three? I can barely keep my own shit together.

 

**SEPTEMBER 3, 2553**

**VL:**

Do me a massive favour and just ignore the last several messages I sent. I think I

have space cabin fever. Hope you’re not dead, by the way.

 

**SEPTEMBER 4, 2553**

**VL:**

I moved my bed into AMO’s room. You’re right about sleeping alone. It sucks ass.

 

**SEPTEMBER 10, 2553**

**VL:**

Who’s Holly? A keeps saying her name in his sleep.  

 

**SEPTEMBER 12, 2553**

**VL:**

Think I’m getting the hang of talking to them. I’m trying to make sure they keep up

with their homework, too. It’s a good offset to the shit ONI is teaching them.

Taught them a bit of my own home tongue, even. They’re fast learners. They

especially like when I teach them swear words. God my life is weird.

**VL:**

Seriously though, I need to stop spamming you. I know you’re busy. I don’t know if

you’re even reading these, but it does help. Also slightly more sane than talking to

the wall in my room. So thanks, I guess. And sorry. I’ve never apologised this

much to one person before. You’re a lucky guy.

Just please god ignore what I sent you. I’d delete it if I could. I really need a

drinking mate that’s not a fucking spy. Andera used to help with that, but, well.

You know.

I’ll buy you a beer to make up for this, how’s that. You guys drink beer? I’m

flexible. Food is also a good option. Real food, too, not from a mess hall dispenser.

 

**SEPTEMBER 13, 2553**

**F104:**

Sorry again for the delay. Are you alright, Inspector?

**VL:**

It’s great to hear from you. Sorry about that. It was unprofessional. We can just

forget it happened. Glad to know you’re not dead or spaced or anything.

**F104:**

You never struck me as particularly professional anyway, ma’am. Happy to oblige.

And I appreciate the concern. BT and I are well.

**VL:**

You’re not nearly as funny as you think you are.

**F104:**

And you didn’t answer my question.

 

**SEPTEMBER 14, 2553**

**VL:**

I don’t know how to. It’s like I’m having a midlife crisis, but all my friends are dead

and I can never go home again. All the plants in my apartment are probably dust.

The little succulent my dad bought me is definitely dead, too. Everything’s gone.

AMO are all I have left. That’s a terrifying thought. One thing goes wrong on a

mission and I’ll have to be locked up in a ward somewhere.

**F104:**

I know it’s difficult. Try not to think about it, which I know is easier said than done.

It can do a number on your sleep schedule if you let it.

**VL:**

I guess you do know. And I took part of your team with me.

 

**SEPTEMBER 14, 2553**

**F104:**

It’s the best of an unorthodox situation. Roster’s been changing a lot lately.

**VL:**

Unorthodox is one word for it.

 

**SEPTEMBER 15, 2553**

**F104:**

And I can’t tell you who Holly is. But keep an eye on A.

**VL:**

A told me, actually. I almost regret asking. Pointless to get angry over things I

can’t fix. I’m glad he opened up, at least.

I can’t believe I’m working for ONI.

**F104:**

One day at a time, Inspector. You’ll get used to it.

**VL:**

Shoot me if I do.

 

**SEPTEMBER 16, 2553**

**VL:**

You never gave your turn, just FYI. Throwing in the towel?

**F104:**

We should play chess in person. Wouldn’t take three months that way.

**VL:**

Is that another official invitation?

 

**SEPTEMBER 16, 2553**

**F104:**

I have a busy schedule, but I’m sure we could figure something out.

**VL:**

I feel so honoured.

**VL:**

There are some nice parks in the Sol system, and all the major ships pass

through there. Probably our best bet. Never been to humanity’s golden cradle. I

want to walk on a planet with actual gravity again.

Could even bring AMO. We could make a day of it. And I’m sure they’d love to see

you. They talk about BT a lot. They look up to you guys.

 

**SEPTEMBER 17, 2553**

**F104:**

That would be lovely. Park might be a bit high-profile, but Sol would be best.

Civilians there are a lot more used to seeing military personnel around. Even us

non-standard types.

**VL:**

Heaven forbid you draw a spectacle.

**F104:**

Bishop to E3. I’ll send you some dates. We can chat about your cabin fever there,

if you like.

**VL:**

I’d rather not.

(bishop g7)

 

**SEPTEMBER 20, 2553**

**F104:**

Queen to D2.

**VL:**

Cheeky. Thought you wanted to play in person. Pawn c6.

 

**SEPTEMBER 21, 2553**

**F104:**

Might have to move that down the line a few months. Something came up. Happy

to still beat you at chess over waypoint.

Pawn to F3.

**VL:**

You might be a history buff, but your smack talk is sorely lacking. Pawn b5.

**F104:**

I’ll have to brush up. Knight to E2.

 

**SEPTEMBER 22, 2553**

**VL:**

O told me that L is far scarier a chess player than you. Knight to d7.

They are doing well, as it happens. They trust me more. I trust them more, too.

They’re easy people to like. Even M. Job’s fucked, but in-house training is almost

through. On-site starts soon.

 

**SEPTEMBER 24, 2553**

**F104:**

Glad to hear it.

And she is. Playing an amateur is so much more refreshing. Bishop to H6.

**VL:**

Aaaand bishop to h6! Finally getting somewhere. Sorry to burst your bubble,

chess expert.

 

**SEPTEMBER 26, 2553**

**F104:**

Queen to H6 :)

I’m afraid we’ll have to finish this another time. BT is shipping out now. Not sure

for how long. Take a long look at the board before you make your next move,

Inspector. Quando il gioco è finito, il re e il pedone vanno nella stessa scatola.

Don’t let the other agents bog down your work, and keep AMO close. They won’t

let you down. Make sure you do the same for them. So many others have.

It was a pleasure chatting with you. Feel free to continue using this session if it

helps you arrange your thoughts. I promise I won’t tell a soul.

Hopefully we’ll get to that parkside game. I’ll consult K for some more interesting

“smack talk”. She’s quicker on the draw than I am with those sorts of things.

 

Warm regards,

LT

  
  
  
  
  



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